The tower was much different on the inside than Celeste would have expected. Rich draperies of silk and velvet hung over every wall. It bore no discernably distinct style, yet every room seemed to blend into the next with thick swathes of rich cloth and plush cushions. Women of all shapes and sizes lounged about the building as they ascended the twisting staircases that climbed the inside. Large muscular women arm wrestled in one spot. In others, slender Fershya and Fereni, barely more than girls lay among silken cushions, doing things that made Celeste blush profusely. She nearly barked at Vallerian when he lingered in that room for a moment. Only nearly because the Korek women punched him in the gut. Despite her anger for the man, she still winced at his pain.

With every room, and every floor of the building a different tableau of joy, pleasure, and conspicuous wealth was on display. It was around the fourth room, on the third floor, that Celeste realized it was all deliberate. A room where three Jöln women appeared to be sucking smoke out of a tall glass pipe. The whole room was gilded garishly, and there was more velvet than Celeste had ever seen in one place before. It was a show of wealth and security. Whoever this Tabitha was, she could invite people in, display for them all the pleasures and power she had. That this woman could own all this, in the heart of Southshore. How this woman could maintain such a façade, while people starved on her doorstep? Celeste felt she had some choice words for this Tabitha.

After what seemed like an endless climb up stairs and through long corridors, the two large women took up positions on either side of an imposing archway, with only a curtain concealing what lay within. A red curtain. It tickled at the back of Celeste’s mind, why was that so familiar to her?

“Tabitha awaits you.” The tattooed woman told her, pulling open the curtain for Celeste to go in. As she and Vallerian moved toward the doorframe, the other woman pressed her large hand against Vallerian’s chest.

“Try anything funny in there, and I’ll…”

“What? Make sure nobody ever finds my body?” Vallerian rolled his eyes. It seemed the man was looking to get hurt. The Korek woman just grinned.

“Wrong little man. Try anything, and I’ll make sure they never stop finding pieces of you.”

Vallerian swallowed and seemed to pale slightly at that. Celeste couldn’t condone the threat, but it was perhaps a little sweet to see Vallerian be the one being shaken for once. Tentatively, they stepped into the room.

In comparison to the preceding rooms, this one proved rather plain. A simple if well-built low table dominated the center of the room. It had a complex twisting carving on its surface, designed like a large flower, where each line was made up of twisting vines. She recognized the design but couldn’t put her finger on where. On either side of the low wooden table, sat large piles of cushions. Opposite Celeste and Vallerian, sat a Jöln, lounging atop a throne of plush velvet. A throne that dwarfed the small figure.

At first Celeste mistook them for a man, with leather trousers and a slightly open velvet doublet. But as Celeste looked at them, she realized her mistake. The Jöln’s long silky black hair covered half her face, trailing down their diminutive Jöln frame. That alone was not enough to denote a sex, but the flash of skin from beneath her open doublet left little remaining doubt.

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“Well then, if it isn’t her most radiant Prophetess.” The Jöln began, shifting from her lounging to a more seated position. “Do come and sit, won’t you?”

Celeste looked at the cushions nervously, sitting like that seemed improper, but she would not insult a host in their own home. Celeste lowered herself awkwardly atop the cushions.

“You must be Tabitha.” Celeste said. “I will not say I appreciate the welcome you have extended to my companions and I.” Celeste watched Tabitha, trying to gauge her response. She was an enigma to Celeste. A slum lord that cared for her people perhaps?

“Some tea?” Tabitha asked, then snapped her fingers. Vallerian moved to sit next to Celeste when Tabitha gave him a sharp look. “Did I say you could sit?” She barked at him. As Tabitha sneered at Vallerian, Celeste saw something hidden beneath her hair. A small black heart tattoo under her left eye. It was something Celeste knew; she had seen women with those before. A long time ago, in another life.

“Mistress Tabitha, I would very much like to know as to…”

“Why is the bishop poking into my business?” Tabitha asked, cutting Celeste off. “You are his little puppet, aren’t you? Well girl? What business does he have getting in the way of my deliveries?” Tabitha slapped Celeste with her words. There seemed to be an anger, some sort of bitterness lingering in the woman’s tone. It left Celeste shocked. She hadn’t seen her father in days, and she couldn’t imagine he had anything to do with this.

“M… my Father? I assure you Mistress Tabitha; he has no interest in your business dealings.” Celeste responded. As far as she was aware, her father paid little heed to the small folk of Southshore. It had been no small point of contention between them in recent years, the pains of the common people.

“So you just decided to send your dog, this so called ‘Shield of Celeste’ to disrupt my delivery earlier?” Tabitha clicked her tongue. “Why do I doubt that her most precious Radiance is the mastermind behind my problem?”

“Look, Tabitha was it?” Vallerian spoke up. “If you would just…”

“Silence yourself or you will be silenced, dog.” Tabitha snapped at Vallerian. “If I had wanted the opinions of men, I would wear a low-cut gown.”

Vallerian stood, mouth agape, but silent. Celeste turned back to Tabitha and paid close attention to her. How peculiar, she thought, all souls were of the First Mother and True Father regardless of sex. She couldn’t imagine hating anyone at all, let alone for something as unimportant as that.

“I assure you, Mistress Tabitha, that I had no intentions of causing you trouble. I just wished to help my friends. If you are referring to the incident at the docks, I believe Brother Gardinal was trying to help.” Celeste attempted to assure her. That was what Gardinal had said he was doing right? Making sure his brother’s shipment got in? Celeste reached over and touching Tabitha’s hand. Tabitha pulled back sharply, staring daggers back at Celeste.

“That may be so. But I have a hard time believing you are not being guided by that pious prick of a bishop.” She eyed Celeste. “You do intrigue me though, child. You have more spirit than my ears led me to believe. Let me look at you.” Tabitha reached over, grabbing Celeste by the chin with her child-like hands, and pulled her close.

She seemed to measure up Celeste in an instant, those big auburn Jöln eyes studying her with a keen intelligence. “You are a pretty one, almost too pretty to join my girls.” Tabitha continued. Vallerian growled at that. Tabitha ignored him. “But, unfortunately, I think with those eyes of yours it would be a waste to keep you here.” Tabitha leaned back. Celeste felt a pit in her stomach. No matter what she did, it always seemed to come back to her eyes. The only thing anyone ever saw when they looked at her.

“What is it that you want Mistress?” Celeste finally asked. If Tabitha intended to use her, she figured it was best if she knew how.

“I want power Celeste.” Tabitha responded and Celeste’s stomach knotted.